View source for John Flansburgh

{{short description|American musician (born 1960)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image             = John Flansburgh Dallas 2023.png
| caption           = Flansburgh in 2023
| image_size        = <!-- Only for images smaller than 220 pixels -->
| background        = solo_singer
| birth_name        = John Conant Flansburgh
| alias             = {{Plainlist|Rolf Conant<ref name="design matters">{{Cite web |last=Millman |first=Debbie |date=March 3, 2012 |title=Design Matters with Debbie Millman - John Flansburgh |url=http://observermedia.designobserver.com/audio/john-flansburgh/32458/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712043629/http://observermedia.designobserver.com/audio/john-flansburgh/32458/ |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |access-date=2012-09-30 |website=ObserverMedia.DesignObserver.com}}</ref>
}}
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1960|05|06}}
| birth_place       = [[Lexington, Massachusetts]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Symkus |first=Ed |date=March 28, 2013 |title=Kings of Quirkiness: They Might Be Giants at Paradise April 3-4 |work=[[The MetroWest Daily News]] |url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2013/03/28/kings-quirkiness-they-might-be/37908157007/ |access-date=2022-11-22}}</ref>
| instrument        = {{hlist|Vocals|[[Electric guitar|guitar]]|[[Bass guitar|bass]]|[[percussion]]|[[trumpet]]
|[[harmonica]]}}
| genre             = [[Alternative rock]]
| occupation        = Singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist
| years_active      = 1980–present
| label             = {{hlist|[[Bar/None Records|Bar/None]]|[[Elektra Records|Elektra]]|[[Restless Records|Restless]]|Idlewild}}
| spouse            = {{marriage|[[Robin Goldwasser]]|1996}}
| partner           = [[John Linnell]] (1982–present)
}}

'''John Conant Flansburgh'''{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|f|l|æ|n|z|ˌ|b|ər|g}} {{respell|FLANZ|berg}}. Colloquially known by his nicknames '''Flansy''' ({{IPAc-en|f|l|æ|n|z|i}} {{respell|FLANZ-ee}}) or '''Flans''' ({{IPAc-en|f|l|æ|n|z}} {{respell|FLANZ}}).}}<ref name="design matters" /> (born May 6, 1960) is an American musician. He is a co-founder of the [[Brooklyn]], New York–based [[alternative rock]] duo [[They Might Be Giants]] with [[John Linnell]], for which he writes, sings, and plays rhythm guitar.

==Early life==
Flansburgh was born in [[Lexington, Massachusetts]]. His father, [[Earl Flansburgh]], was a well-known Boston [[architect]]. His mother, Polly Flansburgh, is the founder and president of [[Boston By Foot]]. Her father, Brigadier General [[Ralph Hospital]], was an artillery commander in the U.S. Army in the Italian Campaign during [[World War II]].<ref name="info club 94">{{Cite web |last=TMBG Info Club |date=1994 |title=John and John Answer Your Questions |url=http://tmbw.net/wiki/John_and_John_Answer_Your_Questions_-_Fall_%2794 |access-date=2012-09-30 |website=TMBW.net}}</ref> His brother, [[Paxus Calta]] (born Earl Schuyler Flansburgh), is an anti-nuclear [[activist]] and political organizer.

Flansburgh attended the [[George Washington University]], where he learned to play guitar while working as a parking garage attendant, then [[Antioch College]] and [[Pratt Institute]], where he graduated with an arts degree.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nonstop Sound |date=January 11, 2012 |title=Q&A: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants |url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/nonstop-sound/They-Might-Be-Giants-John-Flansburgh-137123303.html |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=[[NBC New York]]}}</ref>

===Since 1982: They Might Be Giants===
Flansburgh co-founded [[They Might Be Giants]], with his longtime friend [[John Linnell]], in 1982 while a student at Pratt Institute. The two share singing and songwriting duties, with Flansburgh on guitar, in addition to performing a variety of instruments when the need arises. In the 2002 documentary ''[[Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)]]'', he was described as holding a leadership role in the group, managing most details of their live act and handling much of the promotion effort.

As a songwriter, Flansburgh enjoys a mix of styles; many of his songs have an absurdist and satirical bent, but he often breaks for more earnest and romantic themes as well. He penned and performed vocals on the group's first [[Grammy]] Award-winning effort, "Boss of Me", which charted in Europe and served as theme song to the hit television series ''[[Malcolm in the Middle]]''.

==Side projects==
[[File:JohnFlansburgh.jpg|thumb|Flansburgh in 2005]]
Flansburgh has pursued a number of solo projects during his time with They Might Be Giants. His band '''Mono Puff''' recorded two full-length albums and four EPs in the late 1990s and toured occasionally. The band also included bassist Hal Cragin and drummer [[Steve Calhoon]], plus various guest collaborators.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Unsupervised |type=Liner notes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=The Devil Went Down to Newport |type=Liner notes}}</ref>

Flansburgh also ran a subscription-based record label called the [[Hello Recording Club]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Joel |date=April 4, 1997 |title=Mono Puff: Unsupervised |work=[[The Tech (newspaper)|The Tech]] |publisher=[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] |url=http://tech.mit.edu/V117/N16/monopuff.16a.html |access-date=2022-11-22 |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123004501/http://tech.mit.edu/V117/N16/monopuff.16a.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Flansburgh has also directed music videos for such artists as [[Soul Coughing]], [[Ben Folds Five]], [[Frank Black#Frank Black and the Catholics|Frank Black and the Catholics]], [[Harvey Danger]], and [[Jonathan Coulton]]. He also produced Coulton's album, ''[[Artificial Heart (album)|Artificial Heart]]''. In 2004, as a one-off, Flansburgh produced and starred in the [[Off-Broadway]] musical ''[[People Are Wrong!]]'', which was co-written by his wife, Robin Goldwasser.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 12, 2004 |title=Q&A with Gothamist |url=http://gothamist.com/2004/11/12/john_flansburgh_songwriterperformer.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602124815/http://gothamist.com/2004/11/12/john_flansburgh_songwriterperformer.php |archive-date=June 2, 2012 |access-date=2022-11-12}}</ref>

In 1998, Flansburgh guest-starred as himself in the season 4 finale of the [[Cartoon Network]] animated series ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flansburgh |first=John |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Hey Flans, do you remember anything specific about your Space Ghost: Coast to Coast interview? It seems that aside from a very small clip, it was never aired |url=https://tmbgareok.tumblr.com/post/184242317601/hey-flans-do-you-remember-anything-specific-about |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=[[Tumblr]]}}</ref> In 2004, Flansburgh created and hosted a series on [[WNYC]] entitled ''Now Hear This''. The program spotlighted a variety of his musical interests, featuring interviews with artists such as [[Stephin Merritt]], [[David Byrne]], [[Matt Stone]], and [[The Darkness (band)|The Darkness]]. While no longer in production, it continues to be archived on the station's website.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flansburgh |first=John |date=April 2, 2004 |title=Now Hear This |url=http://www.wnyc.org/shows/nht/episodes/2004/04/02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102224119/http://www.wnyc.org/shows/nht/episodes/2004/04/02 |archive-date=January 2, 2007 |access-date=2012-10-08 |website=WNYC.org}}</ref> In 2007, Flansburgh played a short role as "Computer" in the Adult Swim comedy series ''[[Xavier: Renegade Angel]]''.<ref>{{Cite podcast |url=https://radio.rutgers.edu/wrsu-interview-with-john-flansburgh-of-they-might-be-giants/ |title=John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants Interview with WRSU |website=Radio.Rutgers.edu |publisher=[[WRSU-FM]] |last=Rosner |first=Bennett |date=January 7, 2019 |access-date=2022-11-22}}</ref>

In 2023, Flansburgh released a solo EP entitled ''Forest / Trees''.<ref>"[https://rateyourmusic.com/release/ep/john-flansburgh/forest-trees-ep.p ''Forest / Trees'' EP]." Accessed August 6, 2023.</ref>{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}}

==Personal life==
Since 1996, he has been married to musician [[Robin Goldwasser]], with whom he occasionally performs. Flansburgh considers himself politically leftist and has spoken of his support for [[Bernie Sanders]] for President.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hallenbeck |first=Brent |date=November 15, 2015 |title=Sanders' Campaign Stands at the Intersection of Entertainment, Politics |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2015/11/15/bernie-sanders-entertainment-politics/75839088/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> Flansburgh is [[left-handed]].<ref name="FAQ">{{Cite web |title=TMBG.org FAQ |url=http://www.tmbg.com/fidelity/qa.html |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970406001903/http://www.tmbg.com/fidelity/qa.html |archive-date=April 6, 1997 |access-date=2017-04-24}}. Retrieved 2012-09-30.</ref>

On June 8, 2022, while in a [[Ridesharing company|rideshare]] on his way home from a They Might Be Giants show at the [[Bowery Ballroom]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shows/2022-06-08 - TMBW: The They Might Be Giants Knowledge Base |url=https://tmbw.net/wiki/Shows/2022-06-08 |access-date=2022-06-14 |website=TMBW.net}}</ref> Flansburgh's ride was involved in a collision with a [[Drunk driving|drunk driver]]. Flansburgh had several broken ribs, many of which had multiple fractures, but no vital organs were damaged.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1534917662320603136 |user=tmbg |title=An important message from John L.}}</ref>

==Instruments==
Flansburgh frequently plays a red [[Gibson ES-335]], a sonic blue [[Fender Telecaster]], a candy apple red [[Fender Jazzmaster]], and a goldtop [[Gibson Les Paul]]. He owns a custom-made gold Mojo guitar, known as the "Chessmaster".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mojo Chessmaster |url=http://tmbw.net/wiki/Mojo_Chessmaster |access-date=April 20, 2018 |website=TMBW.net}}</ref> He designed the body himself, taking inspiration from the [[geometric shapes]] of old guitar cases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Truly Gigantic!- An Interview with They Might Be Giants |url=https://www.guitar.com/articles/truly-gigantic-interview-they-might-be-giants |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126120444/https://www.guitar.com/articles/truly-gigantic-interview-they-might-be-giants |archive-date=November 26, 2015 |access-date=2015-11-25 |website=[[Guitar.com]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==External links==
* {{URL|http://www.theymightbegiants.com/|Official They Might Be Giants website}}
* {{URL|http://www.tmbw.net/wiki/index.php/John_Flansburgh|John Flansburgh at This Might Be a Wiki}} – more detailed information on Flansburgh
* {{IMDb name|0281241}}

{{tmbg}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Flansburgh, John}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Antioch College alumni]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Lincoln, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Pratt Institute alumni]]
[[Category:Singers from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:They Might Be Giants members]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School alumni]]
[[Category:George Washington University alumni]]